Running-board saddle.



J L. 'MOHUN.

RUNNING BOARD SADDLE APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1911.

Patented Aug. 19, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON, D. c,

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. MOI-I-UN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

RUNNING-BOARD SADDLE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN L. MOI-I-UN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Running-Board Saddles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates in general to brackets or saddles for supporting the running boards or planks upon the top of a car, and more particularly to that type of saddle usually cast mostly in one integral piece adapted to be bolted or riveted to the car roof or carlines and having means for supporting and fastening the running boards without the use of the customary bolts or screws.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved saddle of this type having laterally adjustable clamps for engaging the edges of the running boards or planks whereby the same are securely held in position while at the same time the clamps may be adjusted to compensate for the shrinkage or variation in width of the boards.

Another obj ect. is to provide an improved clamping or holding means which shall not interrupt the continuous smooth upper surface of the boards at the points where they are supported on the saddles.

Another object is to provide an improved construction adapted for the support of a running board formed of only two boards in width.

Another object is to provide a simple and improved construction whereby the clamps may securely be held in position.

Another object is to provide means for bolting the boards directly to the top flange of the saddle in cases of emergency; and still another object is to provide improved means for splicing the boards so as to give an increased bearing surface for the spliced ends upon the saddle.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a view, part-1y in longitudinal section, transverse to the running board, of one form of a saddle embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a top plan view of the same with the boards removed; Fig. 3, an end view; Fig. 4, a sectional view of the end of the saddle showing a slightly modified form of clamp; Fig. 5, an end view of the same; and Fig. 6, a plan showing the improved method of splicing the running boards.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 14, 1911'.

Patented Aug. 19,1913.

Serial No. 621,023.

According to the preferred construction, as shown the main body portion of my improved running board saddle is preferably formed of a malleable iron casting 7, having a lower flange 8, adapted to fit the ridge of the car roof, a web 10, end flanges or walls 11, and a flat top flange 9, for supporting the running boards 15, the web being preferably offset at each end to allow for the central location of the bolts 16 of the clamps, and to engage the headto prevent the bolt from turning.

The detachable clamp jaws 17 are attached by means of bolts 16 to the ends of the saddle body so as to have the capacity of lateral adjustment and: are provided with a lateral projection 19, at the upper end so as to extend over the upper outer corner of the outside plank or board and hold the same "securely. The" saddle is designed to be used -with boards or planks of a certain width such that the outside edge extends slightly beyond the end of the supporting flange of the saddle and the end clamp may then be screwed up tightly against the outer edge of the board. This lateral adjustment may be made at any time to compensate for shrinkage or variations in width of boards where- "by all looseness of boards may be avoided,

and this constitutes one of the features of my improvement.

For the purpose of preventing any vertical movement of the clamp jaw after the same is screwed up in position and to relieve the clamping bolts from any lateral strain, any suitable positive connection may be employed, such as providing the jaw 17 with projection or hook-shaped end for engaging a lug, 18 on the flange 11, or if preferred, the clamp jaw may be pivotally mounted on the body portion, as by means of pivot pin 21, shown in Figs. 4- and 5.

Any suitable form of a lock may be employed for the nut of the clamping bolt 16, a preferred construction comprising the bent plate 23, which is mounted on the bolt and engages the nut, the plate being adapted to engage a lug or flange 22, on the back of the clamp to prevent turning of the nut. The flanges 22, also serve as strengthening flanges for the clamp.

For the purposeof securing the inside edges of the boards to the saddle, I provide projections or clips 12, preferably formed integral with the saddle casting and having then adjusting the bolts of the clamps so as to draw the same tightly against the outside edges of the two boards.

For the purpose of preventing any longitudinal displacement of the boards, the central clips may be provided with small diagonal web pieces 13, for engaging notches in the corners of the boards, and similar web pieces 20, may be formed on the clamp aws 17, if desired.

In case it should become necessary or de sirable to fasten the boards directly to the saddle by other means than the clamp, I provide bolt holes 24: in the upper flange 9, preferably two upon each side of the central clip, one of these being located near one edge and the other near the other edge of said flange. Where it is desired to splice one of the boards at a saddle support, the abutting ends of the board may be scar-fed or notched one half on each side of its center, as indicated in Fig. 6, so that the projecting half of the board upon either side -may be in line with one of the bolt holes 2%,

in the flange, and extend over onto the saddle beyond the center line, thereby increasing the Width of the bearing surface of the end of the boards upon the saddle and greatly strengthening the connection. Bolts may then be inserted and the ends of the boards will thus be firmly spliced.

lVhile I prefer the two-board construction, as illustrated in the drawings, it Will be evident that certain of the features of my invention are not limited to this particular construction but are equally applicable to other designs of three or more boards in width.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is:

1. A running board saddle comprising a main body or casting having a supporting flange and. an adjustable clamp pivotally connected at the end of the body for engaging the outside edge of a board.

2. A running board saddle comprising a main body or casting having upper and lower flanges, a central web, end walls, and adjustable clamps bolted thereto, the web being offset near the ends to allow the clamping bolts to be centrally located.

3. A running board saddle comprising a main body or casting having a supporting flange forming a seat for the boards, an in tegral clip projecting between and over the inside edges of the boards, and laterally adjustable clamps at the ends of the saddle for engaging the outside edges of the boards.

4. A running board saddle comprising a main body or casting having a supporting flange, a centrally located integral clip for securing the inside edges of two boards and adjustable means for fastening the outside edges of the two boards.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

